Two members of the Board and a Staff Person of the United Way of Thurston County, Olympia, Washington
Quit to Protest the Organization's Funding of the Boy Scouts of America

Two members of the board of the United Way of Thurston County and a staff member have quit recently to protest
the organization's continued funding of the Boy Scouts of America, which refuses to allow gay scout leaders. Another
person has refused to accept appointment to the board. Their actions follow an April 25 board vote to keep longstanding
policies that allow the Scouts to receive funding despite their policies toward gays. "It's been the most
divisive issue that we've ever dealt with," said United Way chapter director Chris Loftis. "This is a
situation where very reasonable people have come together and agreed to disagree in real emotional terms."
At the heart of the policy vote was whether the nonprofit fund-raising organization should continue to fund the
Boy Scouts of America, which has been criticized for its policy toward gays. ... Donations to the United Way earmarked
by contributors specifically for Boy Scouts increased from $6,000 in 2000 to $18,000 this year -- a 300 percent
increase.

Scouting For All is not an alternative scouting program.
We are an education and advocacy organization reaching out to gay and nontheist youth and adults in our effort to get the Boy Scouts of America to rescind its exlusionary policy.

Any communications sent to Scouting for All or any Scouting for All representative may be published on the Scouting for All web site or in Scouting for All materials unless the communication specifically requests that it not be published.